While larger and more-established vendors are knee-high in visions of utility computing, start-up ExaGrid is making final preparations for the release of its Grid Protected Storage architecture, a framework analysts say creates a utility-computing-like environment for a variety of integrated storage services.

More than a year after it was expected to begin shipments, start-up Maranti Networks last month released its CoreSTOR Adaptive Storage Services Platforms, which the company generically refers to as network storage services controllers.

This quarter, Network Appliance's alliance with Veritas will yield integrated products targeting data life-cycle management (DLM) and regulatory compliance as the result of an expanded partnership announced last August.